Root Invalid update error and path: PICS Included (Help Please!)

[Mpie]

I'm trying to do an over the air update but I'm running into problems.

Can someone help me .

 

[EarlyMon]

OK - you've unlocked your bootloader and have installed CWM recovery.

Are you trying to install the OTA from a zip file you found on XDA, or did you actually attempt to take the over the air update?

Can you still boot your phone?

Are you s-on or s-off?

 

[scary alien]

Also, you should be able to check the /cache/recovery/last_log for full/more details on what you're seeing on the screen (the relevant error messages are typically at the bottom of that log file).

Now, back to those that have or know the One M8...

Best of luck!

 

[Mpie]

OK - you've unlocked your bootloader and have installed CWM recovery.

Are you trying to install the OTA from a zip file you found on XDA, or did you actually attempt to take the over the air update?

Can you still boot your phone?

Are you s-on or s-off?

I'm trying to install the OTA by OTA (no zip files just through the notifications that pop up on the phone).

I can still boot my phone.

I am s-on

 

[EarlyMon]

I'm trying to install the OTA by OTA (no zip files just through the notifications that pop up on the phone).

I can still boot my phone.

I am s-on

And you're lucky my friend.

After changing your bootloader and recovery, taking an OTA is often a good way to get a paperweight in my experience.

Your best bet is to check XDA, see if someone has a flashable zip that you can get and install via your CWM recovery.

Or - look for an updated rom with features you want and flash that.

Many will require a specific version of TWRP instead of CWM, and installing TWRP is no different from what you did to install CWM.

I'm sure others may advise you differently, but I've not seen an OTA go right on an HTC in your situation in 5 years.

Hope this helps, let me know.

 

[Mikestony]

I'm trying to install the OTA by OTA (no zip files just through the notifications that pop up on the phone).

I can still boot my phone.

I am s-on

Hello [emoji2]
Just popping in here to let you know to stop.
Ota's and root don't mix
I'd elaborate more but I'm very tired and I'll let Em take it from here [emoji6]
No worries. . At least you can still boot up and the Ota didn't bork anything
.
I'm a ghost here now

 

[EarlyMon]

Or - install the stock recovery and relock your bootloader - provided you did NOT change any system files since unlocking your bootloader.

Then you can take the OTA.

Finding the stock recovery for your exact revision before you changed it will be the only tricky part.

 

[Mpie]

Wow, thanks for the advice .
I'm pretty tired now so I don't think I'll attempt anything now.

Just wanted to know my options .
Thank you again.
(I'll be posting here again if I run into any problems or have further questions)

 

[EarlyMon]

Wow, thanks for the advice .
I'm pretty tired now so I don't think I'll attempt anything now.

Just wanted to know my options .
Thank you again.
(I'll be posting here again if I run into any problems or have further questions)

Please do, I'll be happy to help.

 

[Mpie]

Hey sorry to revive an old thread, but I finally have some time to attempt this.
Can someone help me with the process?

So I want to get the latest OTA update on my phone.
In order to do this I need to revert my phone back to stock by using a "stock recovery" specific to my phone.
So, this is were I get a little confused. I'm looking at XDADevelopers - "RUUs, OTAs, Stock TWRP Backups, Firmware & More Collection" but I don't know what to pick.

*Side note*
I'm looking at my recovery screen (white screen that says ***Software Status Modified***, ***UNLOCKED***, S-ON, etc... at the top) There is an option in red near the bottom that says, "FACTORY RESET". Can't I just pick that? Instead of finding a stock recovery image??.

I'm confused. Help.

 

[EarlyMon]

What carrier are you on?

I'm out of town and my availability here is limited, I'm hoping that I can pitch in with some quick help.

And no - reset doesn't work that way.

 

[Mpie]

What carrier are you on?

I'm out of town and my availability here is limited, I'm hoping that I can pitch in with some quick help.

And no - reset doesn't work that way.

I'm on a Canadian provider called Rogers.

 

[EarlyMon]

Here is a large collection of stock recoveries -

https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=24386

We'll need you get to FASTBOOT USB mode (fastboot mode plugged into your pc) and a command window where your fastboot is on your pc, then say -

fastboot getvar all

Copy results here, but don't put in the meid or serial numbers.

For complete instructions please see my other posts by googling -

site:androidforums.com EarlyMon M8 getvar

Sorry, that's all I can help with for now, hoping that @saltire or @Hadron or @Lordvincent 90 can help with details after you post your info.

Note - for a Rogers branded M8 the CID ought to be ROGER001.

 

[Mpie]

Ok, I've opened command prompt and type "fastboot getvar all" but I get this message saying: "fastboot is not recognized as an external or internal command, operable program or batch file."

Also, I have my phone plugged in to my computer and its on fastboot USB mode (as indicated in red text on the phones screen). But, I don't see (detect it) on my computer...
Although, It's detected when its not in fastboot mode, and just in "normal" operating mode.

** Referring to this site https://www.androidfilehost.com/?w=files&flid=24386 how would I know which recovery to choose from that list?**

 

[Mpie]

I just got the cmd prompt to work (I had to install minimal ADB and fastboot on my computer, sorry).

Here are the results after typing in "fastboot getvar all":
(bootloader) version: 0.5
(bootloader) version-bootloader: 3.19.0.0000
(bootloader) version-baseband: 1.22.21331147A1.15G
(bootloader) version-cpld: None
(bootloader) version-microp: None
(bootloader) version-main: 3.34.631.4
(bootloader) version-misc: PVT SHIP S-ON
(bootloader) serialno:
(bootloader) imei:
(bootloader) imei2: Not Support
(bootloader) meid:
(bootloader) product: m8_ul
(bootloader) platform: hTCBmsm8974
(bootloader) modelid: 0P6B16000
(bootloader) cidnum: ROGER001
(bootloader) battery-status: good
(bootloader) battery-voltage: 0mV
(bootloader) partition-layout: Generic
(bootloader) security: on
(bootloader) build-mode: SHIP
(bootloader) boot-mode: FASTBOOT
(bootloader) commitno-bootloader: 4c3fbd70
(bootloader) hbootpreupdate: 11
(bootloader) gencheckpt: 0

 

[Hadron]

I'm afraid I've limited availability this evening. Will do a bit of searching when I have a chance, but my instinct is to pick the recovery with the number closest to your version-main.

It would be safest to use an RUU to revert completely to stock. I can see whether I can find something suitable later. An RUU will wipe the phone though.

Factory reset won't help you at all. All that does is erase your apps and data, which if the software was not modified would return you to factory condition. But it will not undo any changes to system software.

 

[Mpie]

Thank you for the reply,

I have two options right now.
1. Pick a recovery image
2. Use an RUU file

So for option 1, I have to pick an image that matches my main (3.34.631.4) , BUT if nothing matches, I have to pick one that's close ? For example, 3.34.661.4, or 3.34.666.4 https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=95897840722642938

Option 2, erase all my phone data by using an RUU image (I could back up but would rather not go through this hassle at this moment)

Do I have this right ?
**What happens if the recovery image I choose doesn't match my phone version?

 

[Hadron]

Well it may be one option actually - I've not been able to track down any Rogers RUU yet, never mind one that matches or is newer than your current version.

However, if you want to take it fully back to stock there is another option here. Download the "Rogers 3.34.631.4 - TWRP - HBOOT 3.19" nandroid backup to your phone, then use TWRP to restore it (that post suggests where you should put it on your phone). I would guess this will wipe your phone, as I expect this is a backup of the stock ROM just after a factory reset. If you do that then the only thing you should need extra to return it fully to stock would be to fastboot flash a stock recovery image.

The reason for considering this rather than just flashing the recovery is that your ROM isn't completely stock - it can't be because it's rooted - so it's possible there may be some other incompatibility with the OTA. On the other hand, you could just try the recovery, take the OTA, and if you hit a problem you could use the nandroid above to revert the ROM fully to stock 3.34.631.4 and try the OTA again. And yes, I've not tried that myself (I just use custom ROMs), but can't see why it shouldn't work.

As for which recovery, what I suggested previously is my best guess. To be honest the recoveries often don't vary much between releases, so I'm hoping it won't matter too much if the version doesn't match exactly. But I think there's a way of getting the exact recovery you need (according to this post from XDA):

There is a single Rogers OTA in this post (the first of that same thread), but it's the one that updates to the software you currently have. Look under OTA updates, then unhide "All other CIDs " then "Branded CIDs" and you'll find it (2.23.631.2 -> 3.34.631.4). Extract the OTA zip and you'll find a firmware.zip, and inside that you'll find a recovery.img. And as that is the OTA that updates to 3.34.631.4, the recovery.img in there is exactly the stock recovery for your current software. So if you extract that then flash it you should be golden.

 

[Mpie]

Wow , Hadron thats very helpful.

The only reason I want to do all this is to get the latest update software...

My phones been a little glitchy lately, it's running 4.4.4
I don't want to derail my own thread but how do I go about running a "better" operating system on my phone other than 4.4.4 in the current situation I am now??

 

[EarlyMon]

You have two options.

Both begin with restoring the stock nandroids that @Hadron identified. Assume that step, then -

Option 1 -

Flash SuperSU through TWRP via the full zip install file, not the TWRP helper. Get s-off using Sunshine. Perform s-off mod to the CID so it will accept international radio firmware. Update radio firmware. Flash a more modern rom such as ViperOneM8.

Option 2 -

Flash stock recovery as suggested by @Hadron. Lock bootloader. Attempt OTA update. (If it fails, unlock, try next closest stock recovery - repeat until success.) At that point, you'll have the latest firmware and rom. Roll with that - or - unlock, install TWRP, and flash a more modern rom such as ViperOneM8 or whatever you prefer.

 

[Mpie]

Ok guys, the help is awesome but I need more assistance here please

So I downloaded the "Rogers 3.34.631.4 - TWRP - HBOOT 3.19" nandroid backup.
I'm following these instructions (and I'm having trouble with step 6 and I also have a question about step 9):

2. Download latest custom recovery.

3. Reboot your device in fastboot and flash custom recovery

4. Reboot into recovery and do a backup of what you have working now (very important)

5. Boot back into OS

6. Unzip the nandroid backup folder and copy it to your \\SDCARD\TWRP\BACKUPS\######\somefolder\ (TWRP Only; CWM/Philz restore path is \sdcard\clockworkmod\backups\)

• I'm having trouble with this step because my \sdcard location is only 1.8GB and the recovery file is 2.3GB. So it won't fit in this location.
• I decided to create another "\sdcard\clockworkmod\backups\" path in internal storage of my phone.
• But, when I placed the recovery image there and rebooted into CWM recovery manager it gave me two options 1. to "back up from /sdcard" or 2. to "back up from /storage/sdcard1" but the image wasn't in either of these locations...

7. Reboot back into custom recovery and restore the nandroid backup file

8. Reboot, your phone should be booting into your carrier firmware

**Jump to Return to Warranty Section below, if you need to S-ON/etc**

9. Verify all is WORKING OK, then flash stock recovery,

• What do they mean by "then flash stock recovery?" how do I do this?

10. Boot into OS and do a factory to reset to VERIFY that stock recovery is there and doing its job. You should NOT be seeing your phone boot to CWM/Philz/TWRP for factory reset.

11. Lock bootloader: fastboot oem lock

12. You will be able to receive OTA from your carrier. Enjoy


***I appreciate all your patience with me

 

[saltire]

Ok, I'm surprised that the post where you downloaded the TWRP backup from even mentions the other recoveries (Philz and CWM). I guess Philz is on there as it has the functionality to deal with TWRP backups.

As the backup you downloaded was created using TWRP you need to change your recovery to TWRP - this is done by flashing through fastboot. Is it a PC you have? And do you have adb/fastboot set up already? If not, you can get the mini sdktools download from this post:

ADB Guide (updated 2014/11/11)

which also has instructions for set up.

Second, do you have a micro sd card in the phone? If so I'd tend to save the TWRP backup files you downloaded to the micro sd card rather than internal storage. The main point to note is that you need to place the extracted files from the zip/rar file in a folder, on internal or micro sd card, with the following name:

TWRP\BACKUPS\<your phone serial number>\<backup folder name>

Where:
You can find you're phone's serial number with phone booted normally, in About > Phone identity. The <your phone serial number> folder you create needs to match this exactly.

For <backup folder name> give it a name you'll recognise eg Stock_Backup - this can be can be whatever you like, I tend to avoid using spaces just in case.

The key point is to make sure you have placed the extracted backup files in the above folder, so once we get TWRP flashed (see below), it will pick up the files for the restore. If you do this before the next steps, it'll save a bit of time.


Then download latest version of TWRP recovery from here, and save to folder on PC where you have extracted the adb/fastboot tools from the zip:

http://dl.twrp.me/m8/

Check the md5sum for your downloaded file matches - the md5sum link is at the top of the website download page, and the mini sdk zip file includes a md5sum checker in it if you haven't got one.

If md5 checks out, reboot phone to bootloader and plug in to PC (so you see FASTBOOT USB on bootloader screen). Open a command prompt window in the adb/fastboot folder on your PC - if in Explorer hold shift + right click, and pick "Open command window here" from context menu.

Then type:

fastboot devices (to check fastboot connects to phone ok, it should return your phone serial number)

If it does, then type:

fastboot flash recovery twrp-2.8.6.0-m8.img (assuming you downloaded the latest TWRP)

Then we need to check you can get in to TWRP ok, on phone bootloader screen use vol down to highlight HBOOT from the menu and press power button to select. Wait until HBOOT finishes check (some green text appearing on screen), the select RECOVERY from menu using vol down and pressing power to select.

This should load TWRP. Then you want to do the restore of the backup you downloaded, so select Restore to get into the retore screen. Now if you created the backup folder with the downloaded files to Internal Storage you should see a backup listed here with the name that matches the <backup folder name> you gave it earlier. If you saved this to micro sd card, look for the line of text in restore screen that will say something like Internal Storage, press on it and then select External SD Card (or might be Micro sd card, can't recall off the top of my head) - it should be obvious which to select. You should then see the backup listed. Press on backup name, and swipe to do the restore.

At this point, once restore has completed successfully, I would reboot phone and check it boots ok before moving on to the stock recovery step.

Follow the part from Hadron's post to get the stock recovery image file you need (quoted below):

There is a single Rogers OTA in this post (the first of that same thread), but it's the one that updates to the software you currently have. Look under OTA updates, then unhide "All other CIDs " then "Branded CIDs" and you'll find it (2.23.631.2 -> 3.34.631.4). Extract the OTA zip and you'll find a firmware.zip, and inside that you'll find a recovery.img. And as that is the OTA that updates to 3.34.631.4, the recovery.img in there is exactly the stock recovery for your current software. So if you extract that then flash it you should be golden.

Save it to your adb/fastboot folder, reboot phone to bootloader and plug in to PC (so you see FASTBOOT USB on bootloader screen). Open a command prompt window in the adb/fastboot folder on your PC - if in Explorer hold shift + right click, and pick "Open command window here" from context menu.

Then type:

fastboot devices (to check fastboot connects to phone ok, it should return your phone serial number)

If it does, then type:

fastboot flash recovery recovery.img (since this is stock from an OTA it will simply be called recovery.img but if not just type the exact name).

This should be you back to 100% stock, and probably a good idea to do a factory reset to make sure its all nice and clean.

Edit: Then if you want to, it's just a case of relocking the bootloader and you should be set for OTA updates.

Let us know how you get on

 

[Mpie]

...This should load TWRP. Then you want to do the restore of the backup you downloaded, so select Restore to get into the retore screen. Now if you created the backup folder with the downloaded files to Internal Storage you should see a backup listed here with the name that matches the <backup folder name> you gave it earlier. If you saved this to micro sd card, look for the line of text in restore screen that will say something like Internal Storage, press on it and then select External SD Card (or might be Micro sd card, can't recall off the top of my head) - it should be obvious which to select. You should then see the backup listed. Press on backup name, and swipe to do the restore.

Thanks for the awesome reply saltire.
But I got stuck at the stage I quoted you at.

I created the folder correctly in my internal storage -> TWRP\BACKUPS\<my phone's serial number>\<backup folder name>\ 2014-11-11--17-10-12 KTU84P release-keys

But once I'm in TWRP, I navigate to restore and to the folder I created but it doesn't detect what I put inside it , "2014-11-11--17-10-12 KTU84P release-keys ".

How do I proceed? (btw, are these release keys the nandroid backup?)

 

[saltire]

You've just got an extra folder there, the actual files extracted from the backup .rar need to sit in <backup folder name> folder. If that makes sense?